Actinidia chinensis plant named &#39;Y368&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Actinidia chinensis  cultivar named ‘Y368’ is disclosed, characterized by having distinctive yellow flesh fruit, moderate cropping and a seasonal harvest time of mid March. Additionally, the new variety produces fruit with very soft, slight pubescence and with distinctive square shoulders. The new variety is suitable for commercial production of kiwi fruit.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Actinidia chinensis

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Y368’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program begun in 1975 under the direction of the inventor, Donald Alfred Skelton, a citizen of New Zealand. The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietary seedling variety referred to as Actinidia chinensis ‘A124’ The pollen parent is the unpatented, proprietary seedling variety referred to as Actinidia chinensis ‘RY.’

Fruit of the new variety was first evaluated in 1999 with favorable results. After the first evaluation, the new variety was grafted onto 5 seedling rootstocks; 3 of A. chinensis and 2 of A. deliciosa. Subsequent evaluations of the variety have shown the characteristics to be true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Y368’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Y368’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Y368’ as a new and distinct Actinidia chinensis cultivar:

-   1. Distinctive yellow flesh fruit -   2. Seasonal harvest time of mid March -   3. Very soft, downy pubescence on fruit, with weak adherence to the     fruit skin. -   4. Oblong fruit shape. -   5. Fruit with a distinctive blunt stylar end shape and square     shoulders. -   6. Circular median shape in cross section.

COMPARISON TO PARENT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Y368’ are similar to plants of the seed parent, Actinidia chinensis ‘A124’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘Y368’ produce significantly different shaped fruit, including differences in the overall fruit shape and with different stylar end characteristics .

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The new variety is best compared to the commercial variety, ‘Hort16A,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,066. ‘Y368’ is similar to ‘Hort16A’ in many horticultural characteristics, however, ‘Y368’ produces mature approximately 6 weeks earlier than ‘Hort16A.’ Additionally, the new variety produces an oblong shaped fruit, compared to ovoid. Fruit of the new variety ‘Y368’ are distinctively blunt on the stylar end, compared to the strong pointed stylar end shape of ‘Hort16A.’ Fruit shape differences can also be noted in the shoulder shape. Whereas ‘X60’ produces fruit with strongly squared shoulder, ‘Hort16A’ fruit have rounded shoulders. The median cross-section of ‘Y368’ is a very distinctive circular shape, whereas ‘Hort16A’ is elliptic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color typical foliage and flowers on plants of ‘Y368.’

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color typical flowers of ‘Y368.’

FIG. 3 shows examples of typical fruit harvested from ‘Y368.’

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘Y368’ plants grown under commercial trial conditions in Rangiriri New Zealand. The growing temperature ranged from 10° C. to 25° C. with no precipitation. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Actinidia chinensis cultivar ‘Y368.’ -   Propagation: ‘Y368’ can be successfully grafted onto rootstocks of     Actinidia chinensis or Actinidia deliciosa. -   Plant: -   Sex expression: Female -   Ploidy: Diploid -   Foliage: -   Leaf:     -   -   Average length.—Range between 17.4-17.5 cm.         -   Average width.—Range between 14.8-15.5 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Very broadly ovate.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate, overlapping.         -   Attachment.—Petioled.         -   Margin.—Ciliate.         -   Texture of top surface.—Slightly puckered.         -   Texture of under side.—Moderately glossy, non-pubescent.         -   Color.—Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137C.             Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 141C.         -   Petiole.—Length: Range between 14.8-15.5 cm. Pubescence:             None. Other characteristics: Strong, dark anthocyanin on             upperside of petiole. -   Flower:     -   -   Bud break.—Early September.         -   First flower.—Early October.         -   Diameter.—Average 4.7 cm.         -   Petal quantity.—6 to 8 per flower.         -   Petals overlapping.—Yes.         -   Primary color.—White.         -   Filament color.—White.         -   Anther color.—Light brown.         -   Attitude of styles.—Semi-erect.         -   Hair on ovary.—dense.         -   Color of ovary.—White.         -   Number of sepals.—6 to 8.         -   Color of sepals.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144D. -   Fruit:     -   -   Color outer pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow 3B.         -   Color inner pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow 3A.         -   Core color.—Near RHS White 155A.         -   Brix at consumption.—16.0-17.0.         -   Brix at harvest.—7.20%.         -   Average weight.—110 grams.         -   Minimum weight.—98 grams.         -   Maximum weight.—125 grams.         -   Length.—Avg. 67 mm.         -   Width.—Avg. 59 mm.         -   Core diameter (maximum).—14.0 mm.         -   Core diameter (minimum).—8.0 mm.         -   Locule number.—30.         -   Fruit peduncle length.—43 mm.         -   Fruit peduncle width.—3.5 mm.         -   General shape.—oblong.         -   Median cross section.—Circular.         -   Stylar end shape.—slightly blunt protruding.         -   Shoulder shape.—squared.         -   Calyx ring.—present.         -   Calyx ring expression.—Strong.         -   Skin color at harvest.—Near RHS Grey-Brown 199C.         -   Hair on fruit skin.—downy.         -   Hair adherence to skin.—weak.         -   Fruit core shape.—Transversely elliptic.         -   Core-woody spike.—medium.         -   Mature seed color.—black.         -   Dried seed.—brown.         -   Harvest time.—Mid March.         -   Overall cropping quantity.—moderate. -   Other characteristics: -   Storage life: Storage life is a minimum of 3 months at 2° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     pathogens and pests common to Actinidia chinensis have been     observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Actinidia chinensis plant named ‘Y368’ as herein illustrated and described. 